


After Eight Bells

by verybadhedgehog



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Dirty Talk, Edward Little needs a hug and a hand job, Hand Jobs, Kink Discovery, M/M, Missing Scene, Other: See Story Notes, Sexual Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:35:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verybadhedgehog/pseuds/verybadhedgehog
Summary: A missing scene between episodes 5 and 6. Tozer questions Little about what's going on with Captain Crozier, while the two are on deck watch. After their watch is over, they meet in Little's cabin.
Relationships: Edward Little/Solomon Tozer
Comments: 16
Kudos: 32
Collections: Lieutenant and Sergeant Gift Exchange





	After Eight Bells

**Author's Note:**

  * For [attheborder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/attheborder/gifts).



> For this prompt: " I'd love a missing scene between episodes 5 and 6 where Tozer tries to figure out what's really going on with the Captain, and Little buckles under the weight of responsibility and kind of has a bit of a breakdown, and Tozer awkwardly comforting him turns into sex."  
> It turned into a little bit of Tender Dom Sol Tozer and I threw in some light Shame Edward Little verbal fantasising because I had a 5 am thought about the sort of dirty talk that might make Edward short-circuit.

Edward Little’s main duties for the day were done. Dinner had been taken by the remaining men on Terror, and it was well into first watch.

The standard rota of at-sea duties had, since they had been stuck in the ice, been partly replaced by a constant awareness of the stores. How much food they had, how much salt meat and how much tinned food, how much coal they had. Irving and Le Vesconte were tasked with a full inventory of both ships, but Edward already had a fair estimate in his own mind.

The amount of whisky remaining was no longer so much of a pressing issue. A relief on one hand, but on the other it was a topic that could never be mentioned, not even in discussion with the other officers.

Captain Crozier’s condition was improving, though slowly and in a discontinuous fashion. Edward saw little of the captain — Mr Jopson kept a fierce guard over him, as able a gatekeeper as he was a nursemaid. Most updates of the captain’s condition came from Dr MacDonald. The news was never bad, but Edward would have been reassured by more frequent good news. Until he saw the captain, as promised, on deck in full uniform, the situation could only continue to weigh on him.

Of course there was the matter of the creature.

Both ships’ security was in the hands of their Marines, and two of their number kept a permanent watch on deck, assisted always by officers and men of the ship’s crew. It was Edward’s responsibility as first lieutenant to make sure that the men on watch were able to do their duties, and that they were well supplied and supported. Since Crozier had allowed most of Terror’s men to transfer to Erebus, Edward had only a skeleton crew, and the duty of assisting at deck-watch fell more often to him.

He put on an extra woolen under his greatcoat before going up onto the main deck.

The cold no longer surprised Edward, nor did it surprise any of the men. They had been iced in for fifteen months, now in the very depths of their second winter. But to expect a thing, or to be accustomed to it, is not the same as to ignoring it or having it pass without notice.

The cold bit, and bit hard.

The crossed white belts of a Marine, bright against the man’s greatcoat, were the first thing visible as Edward climbed the ladder. It was Sergeant Tozer, gazing out from the port side. Further toward the stern stood another Marine.

“Sergeant Tozer.”

“Lieutenant Little.”

“Anything to report?”

“Not a thing, sir. Private Daly’s seen nothing; I’ve seen nothing.”

“That’s good news. Or at least, the absence of bad news.”

“Indeed it is.”

They both looked out over the dark expanse of ice, lit only faintly by the lanterns on deck. There was no sound but that made by the ice itself: a mournful shuddering that came and went, occasionally interrupted by an eerie, most singular sound like that of a distant echoing bell.

“No sign of it for ten days,” said Tozer. “But would you really say it’s gone?”

“We can’t be certain,” said Edward.

Neither of them needed to say what they meant by “it.”

“No sight of the girl?”

“No sight of her at all,” said Tozer.

They stared out into the emptiness.

“If she did come back, she’d most likely bring the creature with her,” pronounced Tozer.

“That was Mr Hickey’s theory. Do you still subscribe to it?”

“I wouldn’t say for sure, sir.”

Tozer had taken the hint, and backed away from too close an association with Mr Hickey’s ideas. Though now Edward knew what he knew, it was harder to say that Hickey had been completely mistaken. Insubordinate, yes, in spades; and brutal to the girl. But he had been uncannily perceptive.

Tozer shuffled his feet against the cold. “Her people still haven’t attacked us. We’d been expecting that.”

“I believe they want to give us a wide berth,” said Edward. “That’s my opinion.”

Tozer nodded. “What does the captain think?”

That brought Edward up short. He had no genuine answer to this.

“The captain hasn’t spoken of the Netsilik recently. The girl’s people.”

“Hasn’t he? That surprises me.”

It was painfully apparent to Edward that he had wrong-footed himself.

“The captain still gives you his orders?” asked Tozer, with obvious suspicion.

“The captain gives orders, Sergeant Tozer.” Edward tried to sound stern, but he could feel that some vital ingredient was missing from his tone.

“It’s been nine days since we’ve seen the captain. Seen you, of course, sir, and Hodgson and Irving. Seen Mr Blanky with his new peg leg. But nothing of the captain.”

“The captain is indisposed.”

“There’s _something_ going on,” declared Tozer. “Something is going on with the captain, and of course I respect rank, sir — I don’t expect you to tell us everything, but I do want to know at least something. The bare bones if nothing else.”

“The captain is indisposed and when he recovers his full health he’ll be up on deck. He is improving.”

“I’m not lodging a formal complaint to you,” Tozer said. “This isn’t a _formal_ conversation, if you like. I feel I have the right to know something. As the sergeant of the Marines.”

“It doesn’t impact on you as sergeant of the Marines.”

“It could do. Depending on what we’re called upon to do. If the creature were to return. God forbid, of course.”

“God forbid.”

“I’m perfectly happy to have you in charge, and Captain Fitzjames. I’m not criticising. I don’t want to be left in the dark, is all.”

The truth was that Edward was not perfectly happy to have himself in charge. Whether it was the lateness of the hour, or the day-long darkness, or the cold that was in no way different from the previous days and weeks’ cold, he could not have said; but there was something about Sergeant Tozer’s words that made Edward all too aware of his discomfort. He winced.

Tozer noticed. “Something is up,” he said. “I can see it. You’re plainly worried.”

Edward said nothing. He would not draw the conversation out any longer than he needed to.

“You’re fretting,” declared Tozer. He seemed to have no such disinclination.

“All is quite well, Sergeant Tozer. I can assure you.”

“Can’t imagine you have much chance to talk about it, whatever it is. Lonely at the top, eh?”

“I suppose.”

“The person I talk to most is Heather.”

Poor Private Heather. Certain to die, with no possibility of recovery, but not yet dead. Tozer cared for his friend; Edward knew that well. That in itself was tragedy — Tozer confiding his deepest thoughts to a best friend who could never answer, and likely never registered the words spoken. But Tozer poured out his brotherly love regardless.

“Hey. Don’t — you needn’t fret so, sir,” Tozer said, and patted him on the back.

Edward’s reaction was sluggish. He could only think that at least _someone_ was patting him on the back. Patting him like a dog or a horse, but at least it was _something_. Here in the frozen nothing, at thirty below zero, he wouldn’t turn it down.

Tozer’s arm reached around Edward’s shoulder and squeezed him in a half hug. Layers of wool bundled between them, and the knitted wool hood that Tozer wore beneath his cap brushed close by Edward’s own cap.

Tozer detached himself. “Yes. Well.” He spoke with a touch of embarrassment.

The Marines were a physical lot, with each other, all backslapping and horseplay and merriment when given the chance.Edward found himself suddenly envying them that casual comradeliness. An officer could clap a friend on the arm and laugh and make a genteel sort of brotherly amusement, but full blooded horseplay was not the order.

Edward stood back, awkwardly. “I’ll take a turn around the deck,” he said. “Then, back inside.”

“Eight bells soon by my reckoning,” Tozer said.

“By mine, too.”

“It’s too cold out here. To talk. Those things I was asking you, sir. And anything you wanted to say.”

“It’s too cold for anything.”

“After eight bells you could come and find me. Once starboard watch are up.”

“I could,” said Edward. “Or you, me.” He didn’t think particularly hard about what Tozer was suggesting or inviting — whether it was more questioning or more of that rough and ready hug and pat on the back.

* * *

Edward kept the door to his bed cabin open.

He could hear the men of the incoming watch getting ready for their duties — boots on companionways, boots on ladders, a few words spoken. The sound quietened, and a couple of minutes passed.

There was Sergeant Tozer, in his red jacket, without his coat and cap and knitted hood.

“It was too cold to talk, out on deck.”

“It was,” said Edward. “You had questions for me. I regret that I may not be able to answer them all.”

Tozer nodded. ”I understand that. The First Lieutenant can discuss with the Sergeant of the Marines, though.”

“You’d best come in,” said Edward. “So we aren’t overheard.”

Tozer came in and shut the door behind him.

“You looked scared, sir. You still do.”

“I’m not. There’s just… much to do.”

“Scared of the creature, what we all saw that night — or something more. You’d not be blamed.”

Edward could not avoid reacting to that. “It’s not a question of courage,” he said. “We all have enough of that, on this ship.”

There was of course something about the creature which worried Edward very gravely indeed. But he had been sworn to secrecy by Captain Crozier. “That doesn’t leave this room,” he had said. And so Edward wouldn’t and couldn’t confide in Tozer that the thing was no mere creature, not a monstrous polar bear of an undiscovered and giant-sized species, but something worse and more terrifying. A spirit that dresses as an animal, Blanky and the Netsilik girl had both said. A _spirit_.

It was possible that Sergeant Tozer had already discussed as much with Mr Hickey. But whatever they had said had only been on the level of supposition and suspicion. The last thing Edward wanted to do was to encourage these, particularly the sort of malicious gossip that Mr Hickey specialised in.

There was so much Edward couldn’t talk about. _Nothing_ that had gone on in the great cabin that night was to leave the room. _Everything_ was secrecy. He had been holding on to it all for the two weeks, and over Christmas, fielding questions about Crozier’s wellbeing and recovery, sympathising with regrets that the captain could not be with them for their Christmas dinner, trying to divert the men’s attention to festivity and plum pudding, and being so incredibly grateful for Mr Blanky, who was simply so much better at this sort of thing.

He had held on to it all, had not let any of it leak out, his actions nailed down and caulked and watertight; and now here was the Marine sergeant with his questions. Pressing, rather than prying, and with a straightforward honesty about his curiosity that, being so easy to understand and sympathise with, was that much harder to deny.

“It’s… I’m trying to do it all. For the captain. And there’s so much. There’s _just so much_.”

He heard himself sob as though he was listening to someone else, far away.

“It’s not that I can’t do my duties, but there’s so much to _think_ about, all the time. I have to think twice as hard, five times as hard, about everything. It’s my duty, I know it’s my duty.”

The mattress sank as Tozer sat down beside him.

“Hey now,” Tozer said. “Hey now Lieutenant Little. You’re alright.”

He put his arm around Edward again, and briskly rubbed Edward’s upper arm.

“You’re alright. I’ve got you.” He wrapped his other arm around Edward, who fell into his embrace.

Edward buried his head in Tozer’s shoulder, his face up against the braid of Tozer’s jacket collar, and breathed in the scent of wool and grime. He let himself be held, not knowing or thinking of anything else he could do, or anything else he wished to do.

“I’ve got you, sir. There. I don’t know what’s got you so out of sorts.”

“Neither do I. So many things.”

“You worry for the captain?”

“Yes. I do. But he’s improving. I wasn’t telling any untruths to you, earlier.”

“Dr MacDonald is looking after him.”

“And Mr Jopson.”

“Then he’s in good hands, isn’t he? Mr Jopson will see him right.”

Edward relaxed more into Tozer’s arms. He wrapped his own around the Marine and held on. Their brand of physical companionability was seemingly what was called for. He felt Tozer lean his chin on the top of his head. Then a kiss to his forehead. Perhaps _this_ was what was called for. Accordingly, he stayed still, but did not stiffen his posture.

He was rewarded with another kiss.

“There,” murmured Tozer. “There now.”

Either man could have disentangled himself, but neither did. Instead, they stroked one another’s backs. Tozer was broad, warm and strong: good to hold and be held by.

Edward lifted his head, just enough to briefly catch Tozer’s eye. His mouth, Edward noticed now, was small and neat and prettily curved.

Edward leant up and kissed that neat mouth. It felt as though it ought to strike him as more wrong than it did.

“I’m not usually inclined towards… towards such things. Sodomy, I mean.”

“Neither am I,” said Tozer. “But we’re at sea, and we need to take care of one another.”

With that, a hand ranged onto Edward’s thigh. Edward matched the move, and found himself fondling Sergeant Tozer’s thighs with the barest of compunction and restraint.

“I don’t want you to stop,” he said.

“I don’t want you to stop either,” said Tozer. “I’m guessing I shouldn’t call you sir right now.”

“Call me Edward, if you like.”

“Edward. Ned.”

“Yes.” His hands explored the front of Tozer’s uniform. “How should I call you?”

“Just Sol will do fine.”

Edward laid himself down on the bed, and Sol followed him. The bed was cramped for two, but when those two wanted to have their bodies very close together, it suited them fine.

He grabbed hold of Sol’s backside and rolled his hips against him.

“That’s right” muttered Sol, “that’s what you need.”

Edward could feel the stiffness of Sol’s prick through his trousers, and the heat of his breath against his cheek. He slipped his hand between the two of them, and sought out the hardness with the palm of his hand.

Sol panted. “Yeah, that’s it, Ned, don’t hold back.”

They groped each other wordlessly, breathing hot and damp against Edward’s pillow and into each other’s hair. Edward went slowly for the fastenings of Sol’s trousers, undoing each button slowly and carefully, as if he were still aiming for plausible deniability.

Sol, impatient, thrust his hands in to help and quickly set every button open, before doing the same for Edward. “No messing about,” he said, with a smile on his frost-chapped face, a smile that Edward could only see now as lovely.

Sol reached in and took hold of Edward, through his linens.

Edward choked back a moan. “We have to be quiet,” he whispered, “or we’ll wake up Hodgson.”

“We don’t want to do that.”

“No.”

“You do me and I’ll do you, yeah? Keep it simple.”

Edward bit his lip as Sol worked his way into his underthings, and began to frig him with a gentle but firm grip. He loosened Sol’s underclothes, found his prick and set about returning the favour.

“You’re good at this,” whispered Sol. “Fuck, you’re good at this.”

“So are you.”

“And me not even a sailor.”

That was humour enough to bring a smile from Edward.

Heads side by side on the pillow, they relaxed into a rhythm that suited them both.

“Fuck, I’d love to hear you make a sound,” said Sol, his face flushed and his eyes bright. “I know we’ve got to be quiet, but I’d love to hear it.”

“I can’t.”

“I’d love to hear you singing out to the whole ship.”

“Sol.”

“The full complement of men, all of them listening to you.”

“Sol!” The thought was both terrifying and absolutely divine.

“Hearing you say how good I’m making you feel.”

“Yes.”

“How much you love my cock.”

“Oh, yes.”

“I’d have you over the table, in front of the whole ship’s company.”Sol kept on at Ned’s cock for a few more strokes before continuing. “ _As a boy_.”

Ned stifled another noise. Sol had hit on something here, like a miner hitting his shovel on a whole nugget of gold, treasure that Ned himself had not known he was hiding.

“You’d have me fuck you, bent over that table?”

“Yes!”

“Thought you weren’t inclined to buggery.”

“I don’t care. I don’t care if I am or I’m not.” He’d tightened his grip on Sol’s prick. “Keep talking, it’s too good.”

“You’d have your legs spread, and I’d take you so everyone could see.”

“Yes. _Sol_.”

“Slowly at first, so I’d get to hear you beg for more.”

“Please, yes, more.”

“Would you have me smack your arse while I took you?”

“Please, yes.”

“I wouldn’t stop till you were satisfied. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“They wouldn’t let you. The crew.”

“No. They need to see me bring you to your pleasure.”

“Yes.”

He was close to it now, he knew, bucking his hips in tight motions into Sol’s fist, even as he kept up his attentions on Sol’s own cock.

“I’d have my body pressed over yours so you’d know you were all right. You’d come to your pleasure right there on the table.”

“Sol. Sol!”

Edward kept his voice to a strangled whisper, but his intent was as strong as if he really had been in that filthy divine dreamscape with the whole ship’s company witness to the heights of depravity. The point of no return had been passed and he brought his left arm across his face so he could bite into his jacket sleeve and further muffle the sounds he might shortly make.

His breath caught tight in his throat, he bit down harder, and then he was spilling himself into Sol’s hand. Relaxation and joy flooded his body.

“That’s it. That’s what you needed,” whispered Sol.

“Yes. So good.” Ned caught his breath. “Let me finish you off, now.” He sped up his pace, and soon it was Sol’s turn for his body to tauten, then relax.

They leant against each other and caught their breath, each feeling the other’s chest rise and fall beside him.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes. I’d say I am.”

“Good. Can’t lie here forever, though” said Sol, and sat up.

“Use the rag by the basin to clean up.”

They took turns with the rag and buttoned themselves back into their clothes.

“Thank you, Sergeant Tozer,” said Edward.

“Just looking after one another, Lieutenant Little. As we do, when it’s called for.”

“Very much appreciated. You’re very much appreciated.”

Edward could feel a little awkwardness creeping back in, and beside it the feeling that he’d rather like Tozer to stay longer with him, to hold one another and keep the cold and the worries at bay. It wasn’t to be — and there was only so long he could lie down comfortably in another’s arms before his guard would lower and his tongue might loosen. Secrets still had to be kept.

“Well. My hammock awaits. Good night sir.”

“Goodnight.”

**Author's Note:**

> content notes:  
> while engaged in mutual masturbation, Tozer suggests to Little a fantasy situation involving very public penetrative sex and light ass-slapping, in a context meant to remind both men of a flogging on board ship. This remains a pure fantasy and neither man has any desire to enact it in real life. Little is very aroused by the fantasy and verbally encourages Tozer to keep describing it.


End file.
